One of Seven
by laneydaze96
Summary: Garcia receives some news from Strauss that leaves her feeling alone.


Disclaimer: I do not own Crimial Minds.

And for those of you reading my story Alone, I am not giving up on it! I will have a new chapter up eventually. No promises, though, on the time, because I have a busy schedule. Sorry about the wait!

"Kevin, you should really get back to your own office! Take your bacon donut with you."

"Baby, that was harsh!" Kevin said, feinting a hurt expression and clutching his heart playfully.

"Don't worry, I'll make up for it tonight, when you get home." The tech-goddess replied, spinning around to wink amorously at her fiance.

"Hmm, sounds like a deal. I'll bring the whipped cream." He said excitedly, hustling out of the office.

Penelope Garcia turned back around to look at her computer screens, pausing momentarily to admire the wallpaper of her Laptop, her only customized screen, since she couldn't customize the Bureau computers. It was a picture of her whole team, taken by Kevin about a year ago. She was still a redhead at the time, and she chuckled at her choice of hair color. Reid was sitting on the far right with herself, his arm affectionately wrapped around her. Garcia sat next to JJ, partially hidden behind her two surrounding friends. JJ was leaning onto Hotch, who, for the first time ever captured on film without his son, was smiling. Prentiss was crouched down in between Morgan and Hotch, her arms resting on both of the men's knees. Rossi sat on the far left, casually leaning into the group.

Garcia loved this picture, it had all of her babies, and she loved them all with as much love as she could possibly give, with some extra thrown in for free.

She began typing away at her bureau computers when she heard knocking at her door. _Who is that? _She thought. _The team is supposed to be on a plane right now. And Kevin just left._

"Come in!" she announced happily and whole-heartedly. She spun around again, glad to have a spinning chair. _I'll have to thank Morgan for this chair. It's amazing! _"Welcome to my humble abode, my . . ." Her words were cut off in her mouth as she saw who it was and their expression.

Erin Strauss stood in front of her, with a mixture of sympathy and grief on her face, trying to compose her emotions.

"Ma'am?" asked Garcia, looking up with large, worried eyes. Strauss hardly ever came to her office, maybe twice in the last year for some questions about cases.

"I, I'm so sorry, Ms. Garcia. I just received news that Agent Hotchner's team was flying in from Minneapolis, and due to a malfunction with the plane, they crashed on the way in." Her voice was shaking with emotion, the most Garcia had ever heard from the older woman.

Garcia started shaking her head, tears filling her eyes. "No."

"There weren't any survivors. Again, I'm sorry. The bureau has agreed with me in giving you a week off to grieve." With that, Strauss turned around and hurried out of the office, which still had the décor and feel of a happy-go-lucky person.

But that happy-go-lucky technical analyst wasn't happy-go-lucky at all. She sat in the same position for a few more moments, her eyes still glazed over and shining with unshed tears. Suddenly, she gasped, and broke down, putting her hands on her face, sobbing with the grief of all her friends. She felt so alone, the one of seven. She would never see them again.

They would never have cooking parties at Rossi's.

They would never go to clubs and dance with Morgan.

They would never all whisper and gossip about Hotch's never-blinking eyes.

They would never share photos of Prentiss's disastrous high school years.

They would never laugh at Reid's silliness with JJ's little boy, Henry.

Henry. Henry lost his godfather. Henry lost his mother. Does Will know?

That made her think about the others, and their family. Hotch's son would need to be informed. Poor Jack, he lost both of his parents! He was an orphan!

Prentiss's mother, even though they hardly every spoke. Her mother was proud of Emily, even if she wouldn't admit it.

Morgan's entire family, up in Chicago. They were such happy, fun people! She remembered back when she spent a Thanksgiving with them, and how welcoming they were.

Rossi didn't have anybody, he was alone, save for them.

Reid's mom. God, how would she take it? Suddenly she remembered the recording he had made during the Anthrax scare. _Oh god, did I delete it? Oh god, oh god . . ._ She frantically began searching through her computer, desperately trying to find the recording.

She found it, and as she played it back again, she began crying heavily.

Her babies, her team, were gone. She was all alone. She was the only one.


End file.
